Colon cancer: its precursors and companions in Hawaii Japanese
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Updated: Oct 21, 2026
28:15
Deficient Pms2, ERCC1, Ku86, CcOI in Field Defects During Progression to Colon Cancer
Published on: July 28, 2010
National Cancer Institute Monograph
|November 1, 1979
Insights
Japanese migrants in Hawaii develop Western disease risks, including large bowel cancer, similar to Caucasians. Dietary shifts towards Western foods are implicated in these increased health risks.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Gastroenterology
- Public Health
Background:
- Large bowel cancer is uncommon in Japan but prevalent among Japanese populations in Hawaii.
- Hawaii Japanese exhibit increased incidence of other Western-associated conditions like myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis.
- Dietary patterns are hypothesized to play a role in the observed epidemiological differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiological differences in disease prevalence between Japanese in Japan and Hawaii.
- To explore the potential impact of dietary changes on health outcomes in migrant populations.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of disease incidence in Hawaii Japanese versus Japanese in Japan.
- Examination of lifestyle factors, particularly dietary habits, in both populations.
Main Results:
- Japanese migrants in Hawaii show a significantly increased risk of large bowel cancer, mirroring Caucasian rates.
- Other conditions such as myocardial infarction, severe atherosclerosis, diverticulosis, and colon polyposis are more common in Hawaii Japanese.
- Evidence suggests a correlation between the consumption of Western diets by Hawaii Japanese and the higher incidence of these diseases.
Conclusions:
- Migration and adoption of Western lifestyles, particularly diet, are strongly associated with increased risk of large bowel cancer and other chronic diseases in Japanese populations.
- Dietary interventions may be crucial for mitigating these health risks in migrant communities.
Abstract:
Following migration to Hawaii, the Japanese have acquired the same risk of developing large bowel cancer as that experienced by Caucasians. This tumor is uncommon in Japan. Other conditions are also more common in Hawaii Japanese, e.g., myocardial infarction, severe atherosclerosis, diverticulosis, and polyposis of the colon. Comparative studies in Hawaii and Japan suggest that the basis of these differences is probably related to the consumption of characteristically western foods by Hawaii Japanese.
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